Substance
Boric acid and borate salts

Pathology
Exact mechanism of toxicity unknown.

Symptoms
Headache, nausea, vomiting (vomitus may be blue green), fever, oliguria or anuria, diarrhea, stomach pain, lethargy, restlessness, distinctive erythroderma, tremor, convulsions, renal and hepatic injury or failure, cyanosis, coma, shock with vascular collapse, death.

Emergency Measures
Airway maintenance and ventilatory assistance. Treat convulsions with benzodiazepines. Activated charcoal is not effective. Hemodialysis may sometimes be needed for large ingestions (e.g., more than 12 g).

Comments
Reports of toxicity from boric acid ingestions and exposures has declined in recent years due to decreased use as an irrigant and antiseptic agent.